How to unlock bootloader of your Huawei P20, Huawei P20 pro and Huawei P20 Lite

The bezel-less trend caught some traction last year, as Android devices from every major manufacturer brought out a minimal bezel smartphone to awe the crowd. But just as trends always go, the bezel-less design with a quirky design feature in the form of a notch was introduced by Apple in the form of the iPhone X, which inspired Android OEMs even more.

The latest contender in the Android world to take direct design inspiration from the iPhone X is the Huawei P20 and the P20 Pro. Critics are already giving out positive word for the flagship from the Chinese manufacturer, thanks to the tri-camera setup that is setting a new standard for smartphone cameras.

In the meantime, users are already preparing to expect rooting, custom TWRP recovery, and even custom ROM support for the device, all of which requires you to unlock the bootloader.

Pre-requisites:

1. Install ADB and Fastboot driver
2. Enable developer options, USB debugging and OEM Unlock.

Step 1: Fetch the unlock code

To unlock the bootloader of your Huawei P10 Plus, you will need to procure a unique 16-digit bootloader unlock code directly from Huawei. Requesting the unlock code will automatically void the warranty on your mobile device.

1. Head over to the Huawei Bootloader Unlock request website and press the Register button if you don’t already have an account.
2. Fill in the details and press Register, where you will be redirected to the agreement page, so tap on the checkbox for “I have read and accepted all terms above” and continue.
3. Provide the required information and receive the 16-digit bootloader unlock code for your device.
4. Select the option called Since EMUI 5.0 from the first tab.
5. Enter the product serial number, the IMEI number from Settings – System- About phone, and make sure to remove “SN” when entering the serial number.
6. Open the Dialer app on your Huawei P20 Pro and enter the code *#*#1357946#*#* to fetch the Product ID.
7. Copy the Product ID and enter it into the Huawei Bootloader Unlock page and press Commit.
8. You will get your 16-digit unlock code now in a pop-up window. Write it down somewhere to save it. [You can take a screenshot of it to quickly save it.]

Step 2: Unlock the bootloader

Now that you have the bootloader unlock code for your Huawei P20 Pro, all you need to do is put the device into Fastboot mode and flash it with the code.

1. Turn off your Huawei P20 Pro.
2. Press and hold down the Power + Volume Down buttons and release the Power button when the phone vibrates.
3. The device will now be in recovery mode, so connect your Huawei P20 to the computer using a USB cable.
4. Boot into fastboot mode. Type in the following command in the Minimal ADB and Fastboot terminal:

   adb reboot bootloader

5. Once the device reboots in fastboot/bootloader mode, run in the following command to unlock the bootloader of your Huawei P20 (or P20 pro or P20 Lite):

   fastboot oem unlock your-unlock-password

   (Enter your 16-digit code in place of your-unlock-password above)

6. That’s it. The device is unlocked now, and ready to be rooted. Check our Huawei P20 root page for a guide on this.

With you Huawei P20 Pro bootloader unlocked, the device is ready for action with all of the upcoming TWRP custom recovery and custom ROMs that will hopefully come its way.

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Let us know in the comments box below if you need any help as regards unlocking the bootloader of your Huawei P20, Huawei P20 Pro, and Huawei P20 Lite.